Claude Debussy: “The Hills of Anacapri” from Preludes, Book 1 (1909-10) and “Bells through the Leaves” from Images, Series 2 (1907)

Previously unreleased complete concert given at the Budapest Academy of Music, February 9, 1958.

BUZZ: Richter underscores (without exaggerating) the Beethovenian drama, the surge and bluster, of the Schubert C-minor sonata, as well as the characteristically Schubertian lyricism, which he renders with much introspection,especially in the slow movement, a deeply poetic statement occasionally rent by eruptions of stern octaves.

Richter was always at home in the music of Schumann, perfectly suited to realizing its moodiness, quirkiness, and mercurial temperament, and the composer’s fondness for extremes matched this performer’s tendency to push every aspect of performance to its limit. This performance of the Toccata comes close to wildness, but at the same time is somehow probing and transparent, thanks to Richter’s breathtaking technical command. The highlight of this concert is the performance of Musorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, one of Richter’s signature pieces. This performance offers basically the same interpretation as the legendary Sofia recording made two weeks later, but quite possibly an even better performance of it, with fewer finger slips and a greater command of every facet of the music (poetry, wit, fire-and-brimstone, the grotesque—this was a work that suggested to Richter “a whole world in its myriad contradictions”). Equally important, the Budapest performance is more closely and sympathetically recorded than the Sofia one (though the audience seems not much healthier). Again, it is the courage of this performance that deserves to be singled out—the huge risks he takes, most of which pay off brilliantly.